This is a 32 bit app. You will always be able to play this app on iOS 10.3 or older but Apple may remove support for 32 bit apps in future iOS updates.

Number#1 Strategy game in 42 stores. For 24/7 tech support and updates visit www.slitherine.com/forum

* PocketTactics 5 out of 5 - In price, content, and execution, Battle Academy is a proud game from another time. And worth every penny.* DigitallyDownloaded.net 4.5 out of 5 Stars - Really, when you buy this game, youre buying into the excellent, competitive, online environment, and it looks like a healthy community at this stage.* NoHighScores youd be hard pressed to find a richer, more satisfying turn-based wargame on the platform.* TouchGen 4.5 out of 5 Stars - Battle Academy is a welcoming but challenging experience.* StrategyPrime 4.5 out of 5 Stars - Probably one of the finest strategy games you can find on the iPad just about now, and definitely a must-have.* FortressAT Battle Academy isa real game, a proper game* Esquire - this is the best game weve played yet on the iPad.* Plughead.net 82% - A proper wargame! On the iPad!* PCDome.hu the ideal tactical casual wargame for iPad.* SlideToPlay 3 out of 4 - for those of you who are willing to take the challenge, youll encounter a highly engaging, absorbing and lengthy experience the likes of which has rarely been seen on iOS.* BoardGameGeek 3 of 4 Stars - Hands down this is the most impressive war game yet on the platform.

*****************************************Description

Approachable, absorbing and visually impressive yet detailed, Battle Academy aims to revolutionise the strategy games market with a blend of intuitive design and compelling game play driven by cutting edge technical innovation.

Inspired by an original online game concept devised by the BBC, the game has more than 30 battles in a range of theatres of war from the North African desert through D-Day to the to the snowy Ardennes mountains where the Allies battled to repel the final German offensive.

The team at Slitherine worked with Professor John Buckley, Military Historian at the University of Wolverhampton and a keen wargamer himself, to make sure that the strategy, tactics, scenarios and available firepower of the battles fought in WW2 were turned into realistic AI behaviour, powering expertly crafted battles.

The revolutionary server-based PBEM++ Slitherine system completes the package, for a gaming experience that will certainly please both hard core wargamers and newcomers. This revolutionary system allows iPad, Mac and PC players to play against each other, and even allows you to play 1 turn on your PC at home, continue the same game on the iPad on the train to work and play a turn at work on your Mac, all without you having to do a thing - the server handles it all!

*****************************************Features

Control British, US, Polish, Canadian forces in 3 epic campaigns covering more than 30 varied battles or take control of Italian and German forces in multiplayer.

What a pleasant surprise! The folks at Slitherine have ported the outstanding wargame Battle Academy to iOS and the iPad version turned up on the app store today. I love this game on PC and have been playing it, and the expansion packs for a long time. I hope you can give it some love in the review category, and someone who is wise in the ways of forums will do a proper post . (sanuku?)

This is a full on, everything included version of the PC game. Nothing has been taken out, or stripped down to put it on iPad and it plays great with a touch interface...

We understand the price is not what many people exact, but our games only appeal to a certain type of player. Reducing the price does not expand the player base significantly. All it does is reduce revenues to the point development is unsustainable.

I made this point a few posts ago. You're already marketing to a niche audience to begin with. The difference between $10 and $20 isn't going to generate enough purchases to make a substantial difference.

I was wondering whether you might be able to chime in about some of the questions about the game itself? "Werechihuahua" has been doing a good job answering questions, but I'd love to hear from you as well.

I think a lite/demo version for iOS would help people like me decide whether to "pull the trigger" or not. That said, I am playing the demo on my Mac right now, but that's no substitute for playing in situ.

Thanks for visiting these humble forums!

--DotComCTO

P.S. What kind of response/sales figures would you need to see to be encouraged to put games like Panzer Corps and/or Commander Europe at War on iOS? Just wondering because iOS has plenty of room for games like these.

With regard to the AI, the mission structures are scripted (e.g. reinforcements, the general thrust of where the enemy wants to go and what they want to do). The AI itself then acts to both fulfill these goals, and also will deal with your units as they come across them. Sometimes holding ground, sometimes seek and destroy.

As an example of gameplay, units can sometimes fire and remain hidden from view - when this happens the AI will remember roughly where the fire came from, and attempt to suppress tiles in the hope of pinning you down so they can move in. This is bad if you stay put, but can be good if you sneak away, leaving the AI beating the bushes behind you

I bought this yesterday and promised a review and my first and most resounding thought is above. I can go in to detail and describe the game play, but that has been done already, but the point that I want to get across is the details that this game includes.

During a battle your units level up based on actions on the battlefield. There are a diverse range of units as well, from the Brits, Americans, and I believe Canadians. I was able to download user generated maps in under a minute, and the PBEM is integrated wonderfully.

I do not regret the $20 in the very least. This company has put a PC level war game on the iPad, for a reduced price vs. there desktop offering. If you consider yourself a true gaming grognard, then this no-brainer will not leave you questioning why you hit the buy button.

I know I sound like a fanboy, but I only looked in to this product yesterday, and I am ecstatic that there isn't a hidden gotcha with this game.

With regard to the AI, the mission structures are scripted (e.g. reinforcements, the general thrust of where the enemy wants to go and what they want to do). The AI itself then acts to both fulfill these goals, and also will deal with your units as they come across them. Sometimes holding ground, sometimes seek and destroy.

As an example of gameplay, units can sometimes fire and remain hidden from view - when this happens the AI will remember roughly where the fire came from, and attempt to suppress tiles in the hope of pinning you down so they can move in. This is bad if you stay put, but can be good if you sneak away, leaving the AI beating the bushes behind you

Hope that helps!

Cheers

Pip

The Slitherine Matrix Group

OK, I'm in, I'm a software developer myself (20 years of it ...) and I appreciate the effort to get this kind of thing out there, take my money but don't you dare ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by badmanj

Just promise me you'll not slash the price of this within the first month to 'boost sales' and I'm in...

What I should have said is, the MISSIONS are scripted, the AI is only average. What I mean by that is, the enemy forces are NOT random and ever changing. Their behaviour, though is based on their objectives and they do react intelligently to your forces. Bear in mind that this is a WARGAME. When I say "average" I mean by the standards of games like those published on PC by SSG (RIP Ian Trout), Battlefront, Matrix (mixed bag here) et al. Not by the laughable standards of the iOS games.

Also, remember that this game has a full morale model. The tanks are not crewed by cyborg terminators. They take a penetrating hit that doesn't kill them all, they aren't likely to stick around and see if the next shot does. Also, since limited intelligence (wrongly referred to as 'Fog of war' by many) is present, the workings of the enemy plan (script) and commander (AI) is partially masked and only revealed by what your forces see.

Eventually a sharp gamer WILL master the missions. He is then ready to swim with the sharks and play against humans in PBEM battles. That is why we play against humans, until we can all have an IBM Watson on our desk we will play against humans for the real challenge.

Finally, on price point this from the Slitherine website
JD McNeil, Director of the Slitherine and Matrix Games group of companies said: We knew we would come in for some flak when we released at a premium price point, but simply put we figure we know more about our audience than many of the so called experts. The received wisdom is that iPad games should be free and then milk the audience for all its worth with micro sales. We know this is a broken business concept..."

Thanks to the gents from Slitherine for popping on here. To echo the above, as long as the price is consistent I have no problems shelling out as much as you ask for games and expansions like this. It was tough to see my account take that kind of hit from a single game, but the game seems worth it so far.

Played a couple more missions today, and finally found the speed adjustment. This makes the game much more enjoyable for me, as the lightning quick moves just didn't feel right. Also noticed a couple of AI items as mentioned above, and chucked a bit as he/it pounded a position I had already vacated.

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